India, US trade deal: Both countries looking at firming up pact soon.
India and the US are poised to soon firm up the much-awaited trade agreement that will be both 'beneficial' and 'sustainable' and will advance the mutual interests of both nations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday while asserting that the overall bilateral ties are set to witness an upward trajectory. Rubio, currently on a four-day visit to India, made the remarks after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that focused on boosting two-way cooperation in areas of trade, critical minerals, energy and defence.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Piyush Goyal to visit Canada next week with 150-member industry delegation; trade talks on agenda.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Canada next week accompanied by a delegation of more than 150 business leaders, as New Delhi and Ottawa look to accelerate negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement and deepen investment ties, as per a TOI report. The visit, beginning May 25, comes amid renewed engagement between the two countries on a broader economic partnership after trade discussions resumed earlier this year.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India should now focus on FTA implementation, utilisation by exporters: Experts.
India's next priority on the free trade agreement (FTA) front should be practical implementation and helping exporters use these pacts, as the gap between the negotiated and used market access remains the country's weakest link, experts say. They said that historically, India's FTA utilisation has hovered around 25 per cent, compared with 70-80 per cent in developed economies, and closing this gap is now the single highest-leverage trade policy reform available.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
The green strategic partnership: India and Norway chart a sustainable future.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway on May 18–19, 2026 — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over four decades — marks a significant turning point in bilateral ties. The visit elevated relations into a Green Strategic Partnership, signalling a convergence between India’s scale, talent, and expanding market and Norway’s world-class capabilities in high-tech areas.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Mixed trend in mandi prices of Rabi crops.
The average mandi (agriculture market yard) prices of two of main five Rabi crops – wheat, chana (gram), mustard, masur (lentil) and barley -- during the current main harvesting season that started in April and will continue until end of June, were ruling 4-5 per cent below their respective minimum support prices (MSPs) while three other crops reported up to 14 per cent higher than the benchmark government-set rates.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
India’s coffee output for 2026-27 may dip 4% on weather concerns.
India’s coffee output for the 2026-27 crop year starting October is likely to see a decline of about 4 per cent at around 6.14 million bags of 60 kg each or 3.68 lakh tonnes on drop in yields due to unfavourable weather, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s local office in Mumbai. FAS Mumbai in a recent report said the projected output of 6.14 million bags comprising 1.56 million bags of Arabica (93,600 tonne) and 4.58 million bags of Robusta (2.74 lakh tonne). For 2025-26, the USDA Post has maintained the production at around 6.4 million bags or 3.84 lakh tonnes, comprising of 1.73 million bags of Arabica and 4.7 million bags of Robusta.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
India’s official wheat procurement near target, up 13% from a year ago.
The Indian government’s wheat procurement in the ongoing season has reached 33.39 million tonnes (mt) as on May 21. This is about 1 million tonnes less than the target, up by 13 per cent from 29.64 mt in the corresponding period last year. Last year, the government procured 30 mt of wheat, but with a higher production of 120.21 mt, the target for this year's purchase has been fixed at 34.5 mt.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
IIRR’s direct seeded rice initiative increases yields by 8-13%.
A Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) initiative by the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), an Indian Council of Agricultural Research agency, in partnership with the SBI Foundation, has shown that rice yields can rise 8-13 per cent over conventional transplanted cultivation across seasons. The project also demonstrated a 21-23 per cent reduction in cultivation costs per acre, leading to higher net returns for farmers.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
PM Modi’s mantra of ‘Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform’ will bring happiness and prosperity to the lives of farmers- Union Agriculture Minister.
A day after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi issued key governance directives during the Union Council of Ministers meeting today evening, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday convened a high-level review meeting with senior officials of both his ministries and delivered a clear message that governance must be visible in people’s lives, not confined to files.
Source: pib.gov.in
India and Ethiopia Sign Bilateral Accession Protocol for Ethiopia’s WTO Membership in Geneva.
India and Ethiopia signed the bilateral accession protocol in the context of Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 22 May 2026 in Geneva, where the signing ceremony took place. The protocol was signed by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of India to the WTO, Dr. Senthil Pandian C., on behalf of India, and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Tsegab Kebebew Daka, on behalf of Ethiopia. Following the signing, the Protocol and its annexes were formally handed over and deposited with the WTO Secretariat.
Source: pib.gov.in